Maybe, in a few months or even years, he’ll give me a new last name. The thought sends a thrill through me, a flutter of excitement at the possibility of truly claiming my place in his world.
I would be proud to be a Quinn, to be part of the family he belongs to, to stand by his side not just in love, but in name.
And who knows? Maybe I could even get my motorcycle license. The idea makes me smile, and I imagine riding alongside Sean, sharing in the freedom and exhilaration he finds on the open road.
It’s one part of his life he treasures, and the prospect of sharing it with him sparks a warm glow in my heart.
Or maybe, once I finish my PR program, I can help the Quinn family by managing their optics, ensuring they remain in the good graces of Dublin’s people.
I told my parents my skills could be a useful way to contribute to the business, but they never supported the idea. I bet Sean will take my interests more seriously.
Lying here, with Sean’s steady breathing as a comforting backdrop, a frisson of potential hums over my skin and raises the hair on my arms.
I shiver and Sean stirs. His eyes open and it’s so cute as the haze of sleep clears and then his eyes light up when he sees me. “Hey, you’re awake.”
“And you’re home.”
He closes the distance between our mouths and gives me a quick kiss. “I got in a few hours ago and didn’t want to wake you.”
“Was your trip successful?”
“You could say that.” Sean flips back the covers and strides over toward the window.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to seeing my man strutting around naked. The way he moves, with the flex and release of his inked back and butt muscles, is mesmerizing. He’s a walking work of Celtic art, chiseled by the fae gods.
He catches me staring and chuckles. “You ogling me, kitten? See something you want to pounce on, do you?”
I take in the glory of full-frontal Sean and sigh. “If paying my dues in my first twenty years earned me twenty more in Sean Quinn heaven, I say it was time well spent.”
Sean arches a brow and kneels on the mattress. “If you think you’re getting away from me in twenty years, you’re delusional. You’re mine, kitten. All mine. Forever. The end.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.” His easy smile dissolves a little as he runs his hand over the wooden box he picked up off the desk. “And you know there are no lines I won’t cross to keep you safe and make you happy, right?”
“Aye, I do.”
“And you understand the kind of man you’re sharing your body with, right?”
I press my hand over the Celtic cross on his heart. “And I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”
He’s studying me as we talk, and I sense that he’s measuring my resolve.
“Sean, you’re scaring me. What’s this about?”
His gaze softens and my heart melts. This man owns me, and he knows it. “It’s about you, kitten. It’s only ever about you.”
My gaze drops to the wooden box in his lap. It’s a little smaller than a box of tissues and stained so dark brown it’s almost black. “What’s in the box, Sean?”
He swallows. “Justice.”
Oh, dear. My heart takes off in my chest. “What did you do?”
“I kept my promise to you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Open it and find out.”